Electrically-heated tool.



G. E. STEVENS.

ELEOTRIOALLY HEATED TOOL.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 16, 1908.

' Patented Dec. 5, 1911.

Inventor: George E. Stevens, b W

Witnesses;

2% JZZQW UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE E. STEVENS, OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL ELECTRIC.

COMPANY, A CORPORATION OI NEW YORK.

'ELEGTRICALLY-HEATED TOOL.

Specification of Letters Iatent.

Patented Dec. 5, 1911.

Application filed September 16, 1908. Serial No. 453,291.

' can be brought to a working temperature rapidly and efliciently.

My invention relates more particularly to such tools as soldering irons and the like,

in which an end or point of metal is brought up to a definite temperature.

One of the objects of my invention is to so construct the soldering iron that the tip, as

well as the heating unit, may easily be'removed while at the same time making an eflicientheat conducting joint between the unit and the tip.

Another object of my invention is to provide a flexible handle for the iron, thereby affording great convenience in operation. The handle is likewise ventilated, and permits the conductors leading to the heating unit to be supported without 1 danger of breaking. l l

Other objects of my invention will appear in the course of the following specification, in which I have shown my invention embodied in concrete form for purposes of illustration.

In the drawings embodying one form of my invention, Figure 1 is an elevation of a complete soldering iron,and Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the same, with the soldering tip partlyin section.

Referring to the drawings, 10 represents the metallic body or mass to be heated.

This body is shown as a soldering tipwhich is made of suitable material, generally copper. This'tip is pointed in the usual way and is chambered at 11 in any desired manner, as by being bored or cored out.

I i This chamber 11 is adapted to receive an electric heating unit 12.

heating unit to be used in this soldering iron forms no part of my invention; but for purposes of illustration I have shown a cartridge unit of the type described, and claimed in my Patent No. 803,795. It is The particular desirable, however, that the resistance conductor be of such a nature that it will stand a high heat without oxidation, and I, therefore, have found that for this purpose a chrome-nickel conductor, such as is de-' scribed and claimed in the patent to Dempster No. 901,428 answers the purpose, although it should be understood that this is not essential to my invent-ion. The heating unit enters the tip with an easy fit, so that when it heats and expands it will make a good thermal joint with the tip. The handle of this iron consists of a coiled spring 13 of iron, steel, or'other material, which is secured to the tip and is made by winding a spring wire in the form of an open spiral as shown. The inner end of this spring is large enough to screw on to the tip at the short thread 1 The spring is ta ered down to form a convenient size or a handle. pass through the spring handle tothe heating unit and are supported at the outer end of the spring by a sleeve 16 of wood, or other material, which screws into the s ring. The handle is thus flexible and ventilated,

The electric conductors or leads l5 and may, vtherefore, be used in a'manner I impossible with a rigid handle. -The conductors are moreover safe against abrasion. The operation of taking the iron apart is a very simple one, although it cannot be done simply by unscrewing the handle. It

will be seen that if an attempt is made to screw the spring in either direction with reference to' the-tip that it will look more It is, therefore, necessary securely therein. in removing the handle to use a tool WhlCll will unscrew the spring without flexing it.

It will be seen that I have provided a tool which is exceeding simple in construction,

being provided with few part-s, which are easily assembled.

While I have shown and described my 1nvention as constructed in a specific manner in accordance with the patent statutes, it should be understood that I do not limit my invention thereto, since various mod fications will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art without departing from the spiritof my invention, the scope of which 15 set forth in the annexed claims.

WhatI claim as new-and desire to secure by Letters :Patent of'the United States 1s 1. An electric soldering iron comprlsing an elongated metallic tip, an electric heating unit inserted in one end thereof, and a flexible coiled spring having one end secured to said end of the tip and extending longitudinally of the tip to form a handle.

2. An electrically heated tool, comprising a metallic body, an electric heating unit therefor provided with conductors and aflexible handle surrounding the conductors.

3. An electrically heated tool, comprising a metallic body, an electric heating unit therefor provided with conductors, and a flexible handle consisting of a coiled spring handle secured to the metallic body and surrounding the conductors.

4. An electric soldering iron, comprising a metallic tip provided with a short screw thread, an electric heating unit therefor, and a coiled spring screwed on to the tip to form a flexible handle.

5. An electric soldering iron, comprising a metallic tip, an electric heating unit with in the same provided with conductors, and a coiled spring secured to the tip and surrounding the conductor to form a flexible handle.

6. An electric soldering iron comprising a metallic tip, an electric heating unit therein, a flexible handle, a non-conducting bushing screwed in the open end thereof and leading conductors for the heating unit within the handle and threading the bushmg.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this fourteenth day of Sept., 1908.

GEORGE E. STEVENS. lVitnesses JOHN A. McMANUs, r., CHARLES A. BARNARD. 

